Understanding Obesity

Obesity is defined as an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual's ideal body weight (Ford-Martin, 2003). Not long ago, obesity was revered as a sign of wealth. But in the 1900s, the ideal body type began to get thinner. The impact was felt primarily on woman and somehow their success in life became linked to how thin they were. Science is now grasping the fact that biology plays a major role …

…what factors cause obesity, recognize symptoms of obesity and also learn available treatments for obesity. Obesity experts have identified genetics as the major factor of obesity. If scientists can figure out why all the genetic defects are happening in the "set point" theory of weight control, they can find ways to prevent the gene mutation and in turn prevent 300, 000 U.S. deaths in a year and save $30 billion a year on weight loss endeavors (Graham, 2002).